Say Goodnight and Go
by SolarCat
Summary: [KaiJou] At the end of the summer following their senior year of high school, two unlikely people meet in one unlikely place, and an unlikely relationship begins. Can the seed of something special survive and bloom under the pressures of the real world?
1. Author's Notes

**Title:** Say Goodnight and Go

**Author:** SolarCat

**Pairing(s):** Seto/Jounouchi. No others so far, though that may change later.

_Please_ take a moment to read these notes! I really appreciate it!

Hi, everyone! This is my first foray into the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom, writing-wise. I've been a reader of fics here for some time, but I only recently was attacked by this plot bunny. As this feels (to me, anyway) a bit different from the majority of fics I've seen here, I thought some quick explanations were in order.

**First:** The title of this fic comes from the Imogen Heap song "Goodnight and Go". Some of the influences of the lyrics will be quickly seen, but for the most part it was the tone and feeling that really inspired this. In fact, I pretty much have the album on repeat while working on this, so if you want an idea of the tone I'm hoping for it may be worthwhile to look the song up.

**Second:** On the whole, I am hoping to achieve a good, semi-realistic portrait of how life could go for Seto and Jounouchi, and how their relationship could play out. Obviously these are not real characters and their world contains many fanciful elements, but I've tried to give my story a firm grounding in real-world modern Japan, or at least as much as I can with my limited knowledge. Therefore, to mention an example, one of Jou's (non-important-OC) friends is named Minoru, not Michael or Mitch or something very Western like that. I've tossed in some culture references that should be reasonably familiar to anime fans, such as the terms 'aidoru' and 'Todai' and the keeping of Japanese naming conventions (lastname firstname), and I will be keeping honorifics. I feel that, despite complaints about overuse of Japanese by American fangirls, the honorifics are something that cannot be translated adequately, so I will be leaving them alone. _If anything gets too confusing, PLEASE email me and I will be glad to add a glossary or note to clarify. I simply don't want to begin that way, as I want to keep this fic as clutter-free as possible (hence all the notes at the beginning!)_

**Third:** This is perhaps a continuation of the previous point, but I am striving for semi-realism here, and I would appreciate commentary on how well I'm achieving it. There will probably be complaints about OOC behavior, and I don't object to those complaints. However, I would like to preface any discussion of OOC-ness with a statement of my belief that people can change a lot in a short period of time if their environment and company change. I think a lot of the hostility between Seto and Jou is caused by unresolved tension attempting to resolve itself under the pressures of a high school social structure. Jou feels strongly the pressure to be liked and accepted by his peers, Seto doesn't care so much about that but has to deal with adult problems while constrained by a system designed for 'normal' teenagers, all while not precisely knowing where he fits in that system. There is an irresolvable gap there, but it's one that _can_ be resolved if the situation is moved away from a high-pressure zone. That's what I've tried to do. If you have feelings on this matter (especially if you are willing to provide constructive criticism of my performance in this area), please leave a review and tell me about it!

**Fourth:** If you want Angsty!Seto and Angsty!Jou, don't look here. I'm utterly sick of fics where they spend half their time angsting over each other and the other half angsting over themselves. Both of their characters are remarkably resilient, and I honestly believe that they would not spend their whole lives buried in their pasts. There are issues that will probably be dealt with in some form in this fic, but if you want angsty emo-wannabe 'the world hates me, i'll go cut myself', you won't find it in here. Go elsewhere. Trust me, there's PLENTY of it to be found. Sometimes it seems in this fandom that there are only two choices- humor or angst. I'm trying for something with a little bit of both, mixed in with a healthy dose of good old-fashioned drama (hopefully with as few gimmicks as possible, though I do have a fondness for ice cream...).

Thank you for suffering through my notes! If you have read all this way, pat yourself on the back and have a cookie! #offers tray#

**Now, the boring stuff:**

**Disclaimer:** No, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did own it, do you think I would have to resort to writing fanfiction about it? No.

**Warnings: **As you may have guessed from the pairing, this fic will contain boys kissing and otherwise carrying on with other boys. If your face is now covered in a look of horror, it may be best for you to leave. If you are now smiling... Well, you know how to click the 'next' button, right?


	2. Chapter 1

Say Goodnight and Go

Chapter 1

000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000

It was late August and a late heat wave had hit Domino City with a vengeance. Students wilted in their sweltering classrooms, the air shimmered above heated pavement and even the cicadas' buzzing seemed pressed flat by the oppressive heat. The few people on the streets moved quickly and efficiently from one air-conditioned building to another, spending as little time in the hot air as possible.

Kaiba Seto was not one of these people.

He was seated at a street cafe, his laptop sharing space on the little table under the awning with a large glass of the city's best lemonade. He had made some small concessions to the heat -- his suit jacket hung off the back of his chair, his tie was loosened, his shirtsleeves were rolled up to his elbows and the top button was undone. The occasional breeze made its way past his location, but it still wasn't the most comfortable place to work. Nevertheless, he was enjoying himself immensely. Not only was the lemonade perfect, but he was actually getting some work done. None of his employees were willing to brave the two block walk from the Kaiba Corp building in this heat, so the only interruption he had had that afternoon was when the waitress had come to refill his drink and offer him a sandwich.

Now the sandwich was long since eaten, he was further in the coding of his newest game than he had hoped to be by the end of the month, and he had received word that Mokuba had gone to the arcade with his friends after school and wouldn't need to be picked up for some time. Given his reputation, it might have been surprising that Kaiba Seto was willing to simply sit back and relax, but Kaiba Corp's newest release was selling well, his work was ahead of schedule, Mokuba was happily occupied, and there were no pressing issues that he needed to attend to. He was content, and he couldn't think of anything that could make this day any better.

That was, until he caught sight of a very familiar mop of blond hair.

Seto couldn't remember exactly when he'd last seen Jounouchi. He guessed that it would have been several months ago, at their graduation ceremony. Truthfully, Seto hadn't planned to attend the event, which he regarded as a complete waste of time, but Mokuba had insisted that it was important and everyone knew that Seto could never refuse his brother anything. In the end, Mokuba had spent most of his time celebrating with Yugi and his friends, though Seto found himself forced into several group pictures.

Jounouchi had been jubilant despite the fact that he had only barely graduated, scraping by with a D-plus average. Seto had kept only one of the pictures Mokuba had taken, a group shot. Seto was standing at the back, slightly apart from the group, but Jounouchi was right in the thick of it, one arm looped over Yugi's shoulders and the other holding Honda in a friendly headlock. The blond was positively beaming, and Seto had felt something curl around his heart when he saw the picture. He was sure Mokuba knew he had it, but he didn't care. He hadn't been sure when he would see his puppy again, and he had missed him. Their ridiculous arguments and stupid insults had been stress-relievers he'd desperately needed, but even beyond that he'd enjoyed simply being around Jou's fiery personality.

Not that he would ever admit it.

Now, here was the puppy, walking down the street looking like something out of a Calvin Klein ad. He was dressed simply; a white, wife-beater-style tank top and jeans. Jou, who had always been sinewy (and, in Seto's opinion, maybe even a bit malnourished) had finally put on some muscle; it filled out his shoulders, chest and arms quite nicely. He had obviously been out in the sun, and every inch of golden skin was glistening with a light sheen of sweat. He was absolutely stunning, and Seto wondered when, in the months since he had seen Jounouchi, had the boy grown from a somewhat gangly teenager into a man?

...A man who didn't seem to notice Seto, hiding away in his shady corner.

"Minoru!" He called out in that familiar voice as he approached the very cafe where Seto was sitting. He waved, and one of the waiters -- probably Minoru, Seto figured -- waved back.

"Jou! Off work already?" The waiter, a slight thing with short brown hair, checked his watch. Jou laughed as he approached and took a glass of lemonade from his friend.

"Yeah. It's the heat. Kenji collapsed, so they let us off for the rest of the day."

Minoru let out a low whistle. "I can't believe it didn't happen before. This week has been horrible." He fanned himself with his now-empty tray. Jou nodded, sipping his drink.

"I could use the hours though." He said, almost disappointed. Minoru abruptly stopped his fanning and smacked Jou on the shoulder with the tray.

"Don't complain! You make twice what I do." He sighed. "Just because I can't bench-press a truck..."

"Oh, ha ha." Jou rolled his eyes. "At least you get to work in the shade. And my boss is a slave driver."

"Well, you're free now." Minoru swatted him on the shoulder lightly. "Go grab a table. I'll get you a sandwich and a refill." With that, Minoru took Jou's now-empty lemonade and disappeared.

Seto watched as Jou walked over to the tables out in the sun. It looked as though he would be sitting there, until he touched the metal back of one of the chairs. The blond pulled his hand back as though he had been burned (which, truthfully, he probably had been). Apparently deciding he didn't want to be branded, he made his way toward the awning instead.

There was nothing unusual about this sequence of events; Seto practically could have predicted them. What was unusual was the strange fluttering feeling under his ribs that began when Jou turned in his direction.

000ooo000ooo000

Jou, meanwhile, couldn't believe his eyes. There was absolutely no way that Kaiba was here of all places, especially in the middle of a work day. He could imagine Kaiba dealing quite well with the heat (after all, he probably had ice flowing through his veins anyway), but with as much money and power as he had you would think he would be somewhere with central air. Instead, he was sitting at a table at one of Jou's favorite cafes and watching... Jou. Oh.

"Kaiba? Is that you?" He paced over to Kaiba's corner table, his long legs covering the distance in only a few strides. Seto discovered himself with a choice to make. As much fun as it would be to fight with Jou, he had a nagging sense that to do so would ensure that he would never see the blond again. That was something he didn't want to happen, and when Kaiba Seto didn't want something to happen, it usually didn't.

"I don't see who else it would be." Seto responded dryly, snapping his laptop shut. He looked up at Jou, who seemed almost apprehensive; shuffling his feet and fidgeting. It was endearing. "Well, pup?" Seto arched an eyebrow as Jou's eyes flickered with the beginnings of anger, "Are you planning to sit down or not?"

Jounouchi was taken aback. Yes, he was angry about the insult, but somehow it hadn't felt like an insult when Kaiba said it that way. More like... like a friendly nickname, or even a pet name. And then he was invited to sit down. With Kaiba. Kaiba never sat with anyone. All through high school, the space around Kaiba was like a no-fly zone, and now, suddenly, he was being invited in.

He sat.

A slightly uncomfortable silence fell over them. Kaiba abruptly realized that he had very little experience actually carrying on a conversation with anyone other than Mokuba; especially not with Jounouchi. Jou, for his part, didn't quite know what to say either. One faux pas would probably end this truce-like thing they had going, and even if it was spent in uncomfortable silence Jou wasn't going to ruin it.

"Ah! There you are!" Minoru had appeared again, carrying the promised sandwich and another glass of lemonade for Jou. He had already reached the table when he seemed to realize Kaiba was there as well, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Kaiba-san," he acknowledged with a polite sort of nod. Seto nodded back, not unaccustomed to strangers recognizing him on sight. It wasn't as if he was unknown. Minoru served Jou his items with a smile, then politely excused himself to check on the few other customers of the cafe. Once he was gone, Seto noticed that Jou was looking at him oddly.

"You have no idea who he is, do you?" Jou accused, taking a bite out of his sandwich and giving Seto a lopsided smile as he chewed, softening a statement that easily could have sparked a fight. Seto wracked his brain for a moment. The waiter had looked vaguely familiar, but then again, Seto had seen and spoken to quite a lot of people in his life. Normally, he wouldn't have cared if he was supposed to know some random waiter, but the way Jou was looking at him was making him almost self-conscious. He wasn't sure if he liked that sort of feeling.

"No." He admitted finally. "Should I?"

Jou rolled his eyes. "He was only our class rep for two years," he snorted.

Seto tried to remember if he had ever noticed or even cared who their class rep was. He could barely recall a plain boy who occasionally stood up to tell the class about school festival preparations and so on. He supposed that had been the same boy who was now serving lemonade. This seemed odd.

"Why isn't he in college?" Seto wondered aloud before he quite realized he was saying anything at all. Jou settled himself, leaning back in his chair.

"He should be. He could've gotten in almost anywhere, but he wants to go to Todai." He shrugged, as if it didn't matter. Which, Seto realized, it probably didn't to him. There was no way that Jounouchi would have gotten into college. "He didn't pass the entrance exam the first time around, so he's doing a ronin year and then he's gonna try again."

Seto nodded. He hadn't been very interested in going to college -- as far as he was concerned, even high school was a waste of time -- but he was well aware of the importance some people placed on getting into the correct university.

"You goin' to school?" Jou inquired, sounding genuinely interested.

"No." Seto replied, before realizing that he was probably required to put more effort into the conversation than that. "I didn't even want to go to high school, but it was required of me if I wanted to keep custody of Mokuba." Jou had been nodding along in agreement with the not-wanting-to-go-to-high-school part, but when the conversation turned to Mokuba he grinned.

"Hey, how is the kid, anyway?" Jou leaned further back in his chair and stretched his long legs out, getting comfortable even as his feet threatened to tangle with Kaiba's.

"Mokuba is fine." Seto smiled a little, something he tended to do far more than usual when it came to Mokuba. He really couldn't help it, he doted on his brother. He knew, too, that Mokuba had really gotten attached to Jou. "I actually have to pick him up in a bit. If you don't have anything to do, I'm sure he'd like to see you." He left the other half of the offer -- I like seeing you, too -- unsaid. Somehow, saying it would simply have been too much, and Seto already felt as if he was walking along a razor's edge.

Jou couldn't really believe that Kaiba had actually invited him to spend more time in his company. But then, they had been sitting here chatting for a while now, and neither had tried to kill the other. In other words, they had gotten further than he had ever expected his relationship with the tall brunet to develop. He grinned, a wide, toothy thing that gave him just the faintest trace of dimples.

"Hell yeah! That'd be great!" _Both parts,_ his brain filled in. He could feel the slight flush on his cheeks, and at once was thankful for the heat that disguised it.

Seto nodded. His puppy would be remaining in his company, at least for a while longer. For some reason, that brought forth a wave of satisfaction in him. With that settled, he turned his mind back to the concept of conversation with the pup. He couldn't think of much that would be interesting- he doubted that Jou's interests went as far as Kaiba Corp's recent stock movements. Ah, but there was one thing that had caught his attention.

"You're working now?" He inquired, leaning back slightly in his own chair.

Jou grinned and nodded proudly. "Yup! At least for the summer, anyway. With Hayaku Construction?" He tagged the sentence with a question mark, pausing afterward. Seto thought briefly. The name did sound familiar, but he couldn't place it. He shook his head slightly, indicating for Jou to continue. He seemed a bit deflated that Seto didn't recognize it, but perked up again as he continued talking. "They're building that new hi-rise in the 6th district; it's only about a two block walk from here, over that way." He pointed in the opposite direction from the Kaiba Corp building.

The metaphorical light bulb over Seto's head suddenly clicked on. "The Kiyomi Group's new headquarters?"

It was almost obscene how much Jou brightened at his correct identification of the building.

"That's the one! But I don't know if I'm gonna stay on with Hayaku after the construction season is over or not. I might have to find something to do for the winter and sign back on next spring." Jou seemed saddened by this. He had been looking away, sort of aimlessly, but he returned his gaze to Kaiba as he continued. "The work's pretty tough, but the guys are great and the pay's not bad either. Especially for working on the hi-rise; higher risk, higher pay, you know?" Seto nodded. He did know. Kaiba Corp had done some minor building and renovation projects since he had become CEO, and he was well aware of the cost involved in hiring high-risk labor.

"So you're still at home, then." Seto assumed that to be the case, but it seemed a logical step to take in the conversation. So far, he felt he was succeeding well at this strangely unfamiliar aspect of socializing. The look Jou gave him was surprising, though. Something between pride and anger and sadness and joy all mixed up. It was ... weird.

"No way! I actually got my own place!" Jou's expression seemed to have settled on pride, for the time being. The blond practically radiated it. "I mean, it's nothin' special," he blushed a little, realizing how silly he must sound to someone like Kaiba, who lived in a huge mansion and would probably use an apartment like Jou's just to keep his Duel Monsters cards in. "It's just a 1K apartment, but I like livin' on my own. At first, I was gonna share a place with Honda, but then he got into Tsukuba so he's out there now. Then Yugi was talkin' about moving out, but his grandpa really needs him at the game shop. Plus, his house is already closer to Dodai than any place we woulda been able to find, and it's a lot cheaper for him to live at home, too. So, it's just me and it's a pretty good size place for one ... I'm still not that good at cooking for myself, though." Jou laughed, though it was something closer to a nervous chuckle. "Pop always used to just order in pizza and stuff, but it gets kinda expensive. I eat a lot of ramen."

He grinned, and Seto couldn't help but crack a smile. In a way, he felt proud of Jou, who seemed to be doing quite well for himself. Seto could almost see him, proudly signing his first lease, moving into his own apartment, going to work each day, coming home to his own place... Somehow, Seto found himself envious of the blond. He could do pretty much as he pleased; he didn't have to constantly work late, he wasn't bothered every time some underling couldn't figure out how to do his or her job.

"You sound happy." He observed succinctly. Jou's eyes widened slightly, then his eyelids lowered in contemplation.

"Yeah." He said thoughtfully, his lips quirking up into a half-smile that was doing funny things to Seto's stomach. "I guess I am." He looked up at Kaiba, smiling. "You must be pretty happy, too. Right? I heard your sales for the quarter are through the roof."

Seto was surprised by that. "You pay attention to Kaiba Corp's sales?" He raised an eyebrow incredulously (and far too elegantly, in Jou's opinion). It was hard to imagine the puppy would read the business section, and even harder to believe that he would be interested in such things.

Jou looked almost embarrassed. "Well, yeah. Sorta. I mean, they were talking about it on the news. NHK did that special?" Kaiba closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, warding off the memory of one of the worst headaches he had had in years.

"I remember." He replied dryly. He certainly did remember; in fact, he wished he could forget. "That damn camera crew ran around for a week, distracting all of my employees and making a general mess of things. And then they had the nerve to interview me." Seto growled, a startlingly unprofessional thing for him to do, but he felt he was owed one moment of unprofessional conduct after that purely hellish experience.

Jou laughed. He had actually taped the interview, since he had had plans with Yugi the night it had aired. He probably wouldn't have bothered, but the previews they had been showing had been just too funny to pass up. Jou was glad he had recorded it; it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. He had been tempted to send flowers to the poor reporter who got stuck with it, a pretty young thing named Takama Mayumi. The producers had probably thought that getting the girl to do the interview would soften Kaiba up. Boy, had they been wrong!

"You still didn't need to torture the poor girl like that." Jou pointed out, though any seriousness in the remark was completely eclipsed by the amused grin on his face.

"She was annoying." Kaiba grumbled, still looking a bit put-out.

"Like me, right?" Jou joked, grinning from ear to ear. There was a pause as Kaiba's expression turned thoughtful.

"No." He replied finally, his eyes meeting Jou's. Jou felt frozen under the weight of that gaze, as though he was being examined carefully, inch-by-inch. There was something sparking in it, tingling just below the surface, like the electricity a hair's breadth under the safe exterior of high-tension wires. "Not like you."

They sat silent, the slight tension undisturbed for a moment. Finally, Kaiba broke the contact, blinking hard and shaking his head almost imperceptibly. He glanced down at his watch. "It's about time to go get Mokuba." He looked up at Jou, leaving the question unasked.

The blond grinned. "Lead on!"

He stood and waited as Seto gathered his things, slipping his laptop into his briefcase and throwing his suit jacket over his arm instead of putting it back on properly (it was just _too_ hot for it). Jou waved goodbye to a slightly shocked Minoru as Kaiba paid for both their tabs and they exited the cafe onto the nearly deserted street. As they made their way to the Kaiba Corp building (and thus, the car), Seto couldn't stop himself from smiling. He had gotten quite a bit of work done, Mokuba was sure to be thrilled (both with seeing Jou and being allowed to go to the arcade after school), and he had his puppy ambling along beside him, seemingly without a care in the world. It was a day worth smiling for, in the life of Kaiba Seto.

000ooo000ooo000

Jou could scarcely believe that this was happening to him. The walk to the Kaiba Corp building was long enough to give him some time to think, and he certainly had a lot to think about. He had just had a friendly conversation with Kaiba Seto, the one person he had always thought as likely to punch him as look at him. True, it was pretty much the standard, 'I haven't seen you, how have you been?', but it was still more than Jou ever imagined was possible.

He had always known that his itty-bitty little crush on the elder Kaiba was going to be a problem. Mostly because Seto seemed to place Jounouchi's personal value somewhere between mold and dryer lint. Not anymore, it would seem. He was at least considered worthy to have lemonade with Kaiba and not be insulted, which was another new thing. No insults. No trash-talking. It had been almost as though they were friends, or something like friends. And Kaiba had paid! Jou flushed as a warm, tingly sensation flooded him.

Kaiba Seto - billionaire CEO, brilliant game designer, and (according to poor Mayumi-chan from NHK) one of Japan's most attractive and most eligible bachelors - didn't hate him, and had just bought him lunch.

It was a start.

000ooo000ooo000

Not surprisingly -- considering that no-one wanted to walk in the heat -- the traffic in downtown Domino was terrible, and it actually took longer for them to get to the arcade than it did for them to walk from the cafe to the VIP parking structure below Kaiba Corp. Jou didn't seem to mind the traffic, though, as he was having far too much fun than was necessary playing with every button and device in Kaiba's extravagant sports car.

He wasn't familiar with foreign cars, but Jou guessed from the strange beast-looking symbol emblazoned on the steering wheel that it was some kind of European model, probably custom-built. It wasn't as though Kaiba didn't have the money for that sort of thing. Jou hadn't actually ridden in that many cars before (he walked or used public transportation to get pretty much everywhere he had to go), and he hadn't really understood what people meant when they said that a car could _feel_ fast until he had climbed into this one. Plus, it had the widest array of electronics Jou had ever seen, all smashed into the dashboard.

His first reaction to it had been to look over at Kaiba and ask, with utter seriousness, if there was a refrigerator buried somewhere in the mass of small screens and buttons. Kaiba had merely snorted, though his eyes betrayed his amusement.

"No." He had replied, "But I'll be sure to keep that in mind for the next one." Jou had stuck his tongue out at him and gone back to playing with the buttons.

Almost twenty minutes later, they were still in the car and still on the road. Seto, at this point, was barely holding himself back from physically assaulting the imbecilic drivers ahead of him (who did not seem to realize what the green light meant), and Jou was amusing himself by toying with the radio, switching back and forth between bubbly pop songs by equally bubbly _aidoru_ singers. By the time they actually got to the arcade Mokuba and his friends were already waiting outside and Jou had found a ridiculously sugary song -- half in poorly-pronounced English that made Seto cringe -- and was singing along at high volume, usually off-key (Seto really hoped Jou didn't know what those words meant).

Mokuba waved goodbye to his friends and trotted toward the car, smiling happily because his brother had been able to come pick him up in person. It wasn't until he approached the car and Seto rolled down the passenger-side window, leaning over to tell Mokuba to get in the back, that he noticed the passenger already in the car.

"Jou!" The raven-haired boy squealed, practically flinging himself through the open window at the older boy. Thankfully, Jou had stopped his howling when Seto had rolled down the window and he greeted the younger Kaiba with a big grin.

"Heya, kid! Long time, no see, huh?" Jou was trying awkwardly to return the through-the-window hug he was receiving, but Mokuba didn't seem to notice. His attention was back on his brother.

"Setooooo! You didn't tell me Jou was coming! Can we stay here a while longer, pleeeeeeeeease?" He was bouncing up and down on the sidewalk now, his face in full doe-eyes-and-pouty-lip mode (which had never failed him before in dealing with his big brother). "I wanna play games with Jou! C'mon Seto, pleeeease?"

Seto smiled warmly at him, a look that seemed reserved for Mokuba alone. He had expected that request. "I don't see why not, provided that Jounouchi has no objections?" The smile hadn't entirely faded when he turned to look at the blond, who felt his spine go all gooey. Seto was _really_ attractive when he smiled like that, and Jou found himself oddly glad that the other teen didn't do it very often. Besides making his little crush a lot harder to endure, Kaiba's pack of fangirls would probably be too thick to wade through (not that it wasn't pretty full already, icy personality or no).

"Y-yeah. Yeah, that sounds like fun!" Jou hastily replied, unbuckling the seatbelt and climbing out of the vehicle. In the sunlight, the damned thing looked even more impressive.

"Park the car, okay Seto?" Mokuba called to his brother as he grabbed Jou's wrist and pulled him firmly toward the entrance to the arcade.

"I'll be right in." Seto replied, though Mokuba was paying no attention by that point. He had already begun grilling Jou on everything he had done since Mokuba had seen him last. Seto sighed and went to look for a parking spot.

000ooo000ooo000

It took a bit longer than Seto would have preferred to find an appropriate place to park, but he finally managed to snag a spot less than half a block from the arcade. The clerk recognized him the instant he entered the doors and indicated to him that Mokuba was at the back. Sure enough, he found both Mokuba and Jou; the two were going head-to-head in a fighting game. Seto smiled as he noticed which one Mokuba had chosen (and he knew without a doubt that Mokuba had chosen it).

"Hah!" Mokuba jumped and pumped his fist in the air as victorious music issued from his side of the machine.

"Good game." Jou grinned at him. It had been fun, and he had never really expected to beat Mokuba anyway. The younger Kaiba practically breathed video games.

"So, what did you think of it?" Mokuba was now looking hopefully up at Jou, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

"It was fun!" Jou nodded happily. "The graphics are really good, and the character designs are sweet. And that combo move you pulled off at the end there was awesome! It's weird, I mean, I don't go to the arcades that often anymore, but I woulda thought I'd have heard about this before." Honey eyes were inspecting the console, as if he expected it to disappear in a puff of smoke.

"So you really liked it?" Mokuba pushed, and Jou looked at him, puzzled.

"Yeah, of course I liked it. It was a cool game." He cocked his head slightly to the side and looked down at Mokuba, wondering why the kid cared so much.

"Seto!" Mokuba cried out, finally noticing his brother and running past Jou to grab Seto's hand. He tugged on it anxiously. "Did you hear? Jou thinks my game is cool!" The boy was beaming, and Seto patted him affectionately.

"So now the fact that _I_ thought it was good means nothing, hm?" He was trying to put up his usual stern front, but he just couldn't manage it. Especially not when Jou was looking at them with his jaw practically on the floor.

"Waitaminnit. '_Your_ game' meaning _you_ made that?" Jou gestured back at the console as Mokuba grinned and nodded proudly.

"Yup! It's my first one!" He paused. "Okay, it's not my _first_ one, but it's my first _good_ one. We're testing it out in a few arcades around here, but Seto's gonna release it everywhere this winter!" Mokuba was beaming up at his brother as though Seto were the Buddha himself, and Seto smiled right back down at him. He was incredibly proud that Mokuba had been able to create a marketable game before he was old enough for high school. There was really no nepotism involved - had the same game been created by anyone at Kaiba Corp, Seto would have been pleased to produce it.

"Wow." Jou looked suitably impressed. "That's great, kid!" Mokuba was still almost attached to Seto, but Jou came in close enough to ruffle his hair anyway. Mokuba seemed to blossom at the praise.

"Hey, Seto? Can we play a couple more games and then go for ice cream? Please? Jou, you don't have to go home right away, do you?" Mokuba had both of them by the sleeves now, employing every skill he had to make himself too adorable to resist.

"No," Jou replied, looking at the elder Kaiba rather than the younger. "I don't have plans." He smiled shyly, looking up at Seto through long eyelashes. He wasn't sure how the taller youth had gotten so close, or why he hadn't noticed earlier that Seto had left his tie in the car and had let another button come undone, revealing slight flashes of his collarbone.

"Well then." Seto's voice was quiet but surprisingly clear, even over the loud arcade noises in the background. His cerulean eyes met Jou's soft honey ones and stayed there. "Ice cream it is."

Seto smiled, Jou melted, and the inner-Mokuba began jumping around gleefully, silently proclaiming: _Yesssss!_

000ooo000ooo000

About an hour later, Jou found himself seated in the shade outside what was apparently Mokuba's favorite ice cream parlor (Jou figured it had to do with the fact that it was almost directly across the street from the arcade), licking and sucking at a rapidly melting waffle cone of Blue Moon ice cream.

The arcade had been a blast, even though Jou hadn't managed to win a single game against either Kaiba. It had been amusing to see Seto lose, though. Mokuba really was the video game master in the family; Seto's talents ran more to games of strategy, where he could lay traps and winning meant out-thinking the enemy. In the fast-paced world of flashing lights and pixels, Mokuba had a slight advantage. Even so, it wasn't enough to beat Seto every time. In fact -- though the scores were always close -- out of probably twelve games they had played against each other, Mokuba had won only twice.

Well, three times if you counted the big racing game.

It was a four-player, so Jou had joined in. Not that he had any big expectations of winning, what with those two in the uncomfortable lime-green plastic seats next to him. And they hadn't let him down; in fact, he had rapidly fallen behind by approximately two-and-a-half laps. In the end, he gave up on the game in favor of watching the two Kaibas, each locked in communion with the screen in front of him. Seto's face was as blank and focused as it usually was (big surprise there), but it was odd to watch Mokuba play against his brother. The kid's face - normally so open and excited about everything - became a parody of Seto's, a mask of grim determination.

In the end, Mokuba had won by the barest of margins, and his whoop of glee had been clearly heard throughout the whole arcade. Jou couldn't say for sure (and he knew Seto wouldn't admit it under any circumstances), but he was convinced that Seto had lost on purpose. Mokuba had been acting more and more depressed the more games he lost, but as soon as his computerized car had hit the finish line, his usual exuberance had come back full force.

Seto had taken the opportunity to suggest they head out for the ice cream parlor and Mokuba, still drunk on his win, quickly agreed. Jou found himself once again dragged along by the younger Kaiba, though this time at such a distance that he found himself walking beside his captor's older brother. Mokuba's happy grin took on a wicked gleam, but as he was walking ahead of them, neither of the older boys had noticed.

Now, Jou's fingers were rapidly staining blue as the soft treat melted over his hand. Try as he might, he couldn't seem to keep up with the melting of the ice cream, and was consequently making a huge mess. He knew that he probably had a Blue Moon flavored mustache to match his hands, but he couldn't bring himself to care. It simply tasted too good to waste time worrying how he looked. Besides, Mokuba seemed to be in about the same predicament, though he wasn't being stained blue. He was instead being stained the bright primary colors of a flavor called "Superman", which appeared to contain even more sugar and chemical additives than Jou's choice. He made a note to try it in the future.

_Quite the pair._ Seto found himself thinking as he watched them fight with their overflowing cones. He had made the sensible choice of a cup of Pecan Praline, and was currently enjoying his non-dripping confection, content to watch his brother and the pup make fools of themselves. He was also glad he had had the foresight to grab a very large handful of napkins from the dispenser by the counter, as it appeared they would need every one.

Several minutes later, when the cones had been tamed to a reasonable degree (enough that they were no longer dripping everywhere, anyway), Jou noticed that Seto was far, far too clean. He said as much.

"You're too clean."

The statement intruded on whatever thought was wandering through Seto's brain, stunning him for a moment as he blinked uncomprehendingly at the blond.

It was all the time Jou needed.

Fast as a whip, the hand holding the cone snaked out and, using the cone like a piece of chalk, he drew a slash of blue across Seto's mouth. Seto could only sit blinking in bewilderment as Mokuba broke down into hysterical laughter, only barely managing to keep his hold on what was left of his cone.

Honestly, Jou couldn't say what had driven him to do such a thing. He had already done it before he began to contemplate the consequences. At worst, he was dead. At best... well, maybe if Seto saw him on the street he would call him a name before ignoring him.

He never would have thought in a million years that Seto's reaction would be to laugh right along with his brother.

Well, okay, not exactly like that, Jou amended. Seto's laugh was slower, more controlled and somehow off. Like his voice wasn't used to doing this and needed time to warm up in order to sound right. There was something almost dismally sad about it, and Jou was glad he had the sight of Kaiba with Blue Moon ice cream smeared across his face to keep his mind off of it for the time being.

Slowly, almost cautiously (as if the ice cream could bite, or perhaps attack in some way), Seto's tongue snaked out of the corner of his mouth to taste the blue stuff that was now staining his skin the same attractive color as Jou's. It... wasn't bad. He wiped up most of the goo with the napkins (he was very glad for the napkins), but left the trace amounts on his lips, preferring to simply lick the cream away.

He was in the middle of this process, his tongue sticking out in the most undignified fashion, when he noticed Jou looking at him. Seto's tongue slipped back into his mouth as he stared the puppy down. There was something odd in the look, something Seto was unfamiliar with, and it was making him uncomfortable. He licked his lips again, this time simply on reflex, and abruptly realized that if he were to kiss the blond's blue-stained mouth right at that moment, that this was what Jou would taste like. This strange, there-but-not-there flavor that was perhaps best described only by its color. Seto hastily looked away, doing his best to derail the runaway train that was his brain at the moment.

_What was that about?_ Jou wondered briefly, saddened that he had gotten caught staring and had deprived himself of wonderful fantasy-building material. He couldn't remember if he'd ever seen Kaiba's tongue moving like that before, but judging by the twist in his gut at the sight, he figured he would have remembered if he had. Disappointed, he went back to consuming the last mouthfuls of the waffle cone, oblivious to the war raging in Seto's head.

000ooo000ooo000

"Aw, why can't you?" Mokuba whined at Jou, his lower lip wobbling. Jou forced himself to remain strong. The sun was almost all the way down, and he knew he had to be awake early the next morning.

"I told you, I have to be at work at six! I should practically be in bed already, kid." Jou ruffled the boy's thick black hair again, consoling as well as he could. He had already stayed with the Kaibas longer than he had ever thought possible- Mokuba had demanded more arcade time with Jou, and Seto had been in too good a mood to insist otherwise. Even though he was afraid of overstaying his welcome (also of being too tired to work the next day), Jou was torn. The whole day seemed almost dreamlike in the fading twilight, and he had a strange, nagging fear in the pit of his stomach: if he left now, the whole thing would fade away like the fog that sometimes rolled in on summer mornings, only to disappear before the daylight was more than a few hours old.

"Mokuba," Kaiba's voice had an edge of warning to it, though it wasn't harsh. He seemed to understand Jou's predicament, as strange as that was for Jou to comprehend. "Jounouchi has to work in the morning. You wouldn't want to make him too tired, would you?" Mokuba shook his head, abashed.

"No." He murmured. Suddenly, his entire countenance brightened. "Can Jou come hang out with us again tomorrow? Please Seto!" The Look was back, though it was hardly necessary. Seto looked up from where his little brother was attached to Jou's hip (Seto thanked whichever god was responsible for keeping Mokuba exactly that height -- if he was looking at his brother, it didn't count) to meet the shorter teen's eyes, the answer obviously up to him.

"Well, I... er... anou..." Jou scratched his head, a gesture that was almost too cute for words and Seto decided at that point to give up on stopping his brain's inexorable slide toward the gutter.

Jou, meanwhile, was wondering when the cameras were going to pop out from behind the nearby bushes with a loud announcement that he was on some joke TV show. This was simply too good to be true. If Kaiba hadn't wanted him around, he would have simply denied Mokuba's request with some excuse, not left the option up to Jou. Which meant that Kaiba _did_ want him around. Or at least, he didn't _not_ want him around. Jou preferred to believe the first, but he wasn't sure if he should get his hopes up quite that much. He pulled himself together, as both Kaibas were watching him with rapt attention.

"I get off at two on Saturdays." He finally offered, judging that his response was acceptable from the cheerful yell and swift hug from Mokuba and the short-but-not-curt nod from Seto.

"We'll pick you up at two, then?" Kaiba tacked on the question mark as a matter of courtesy, but Jou was grateful for it.

"Er..." Visions flashed through his head of the treatment he would receive on the job if he was picked up by the fancy sports car they were currently headed back to -- or worse yet, the limo. Kaiba's brain apparently came online as Jou was arguing with himself about the best way to turn the offer down without losing the deal entirely.

"Never mind. Lemonade, then?" The look of profound gratitude Jou gave him sent a tiny little shiver down Seto's spine.

"Lemonade it is." He grinned, the flash of white teeth bright against his tanned skin in the dark.

"Good. Would you like a ride home?" Seto offered as Mokuba climbed into the backseat of the car, the only place Seto would let him sit until he gained the last two centimeters required by the highest safety standards in order to sit in the front (no one would _ever_ accuse him of taking chances with Mokuba).

"Thanks." Jou tucked a few strands of longish blond hair behind his ear. Seto watched the blond's hips sway as he crossed the front fender of the car to climb into the passenger side, not even bothering to pretend he had been looking at something else.

The ride to Jou's apartment went too fast for Seto's liking. It passed in a blur of proud direction-giving from the blond (Jou felt light inside, not being embarrassed any longer by his neighborhood) and off-key singing from the same, with even-more-off-key accompaniment from Mokuba in the back seat. When they said good night it was tense and warm at the same time, and Seto wasn't sure exactly what he felt other than glad that Mokuba was in the car so he couldn't possibly follow through on the urge he suddenly felt -- to put his hands on those slim hips, follow Jou up to his little apartment and... what? Seto didn't even know for sure, just that whatever it was it involved sweat and desire and he _wanted_ it more than he thought possible and it was making his stomach hurt, but in a _good_ way and none of it made any sense.

He gave himself a mental shake and focused on driving himself and Mokuba home safely.

Seto's sleep that night was restless; his dreams were full of golden hair and skin and honey-coloured eyes and blue-stained lips. The next morning was the first in a long time that Kaiba Seto began with a cold shower.

000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000

tbc.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N:** This chapter is currently non-beta-d, since I got my wires crossed and forgot that my beta may well be asleep by now. Stupid time zones. So, this is the non-beta-d version, I'll put the finished one up during the week sometime. Bai!

000ooo000ooo000

_One must have a chaos inside oneself to give birth to a dancing star._ – Thus Spoke Zarathustra; Friedrich Nietzche.

_Note: Kaiba is actually reading this book during the Japanese version of the first episode (2nd Series)._

000ooo000ooo000

Jounouchi Katsuya liked his job. He really did.

Sure, it was hard work and the last week or so had been like working in a furnace, but the pay was excellent and he had found some good friends in the other guys, even if he did feel left out sometimes when they all went for drinks after their shifts. Yamada-san and Aoki-san especially; they had warmed to Jou almost immediately and sort of adopted him, helping him out during his first few weeks on the job and so on. The two older guys (though really, Jou knew they weren't _that_ old- both were in their late twenties) had become his first friends after high school, and through them he had become, if not friends then at least friendly with most of the crew. They were good guys and both of them could relate to some of Jou's life experiences even more than his old friends could, with the possible exception of Honda.

On top of hanging out with the guys, Jou actually found himself enjoying the work he was doing. Every once in a while, after he finished his shift, he would pause outside the build site and just look at the structure that was slowly growing toward the sky. There was something about it that filled him with satisfaction, knowing that he was helping to make something that tangible and real. All that pointless crap in high school about solving equations just to come up with zero... None of that could hold a candle to _this_.

So yeah, Jou loved his job. Which was why he was disgusted with himself on Saturday.

Nervous excitement had been building in his stomach since the previous night, insinuating itself in an almost-tangible form in dreams that were washed down the drain in the morning alongside the sweat and the oily stain on the shower wall.

Jounouchi Katsuya did not believe in cold showers.

He was sure that he hadn't actually gotten to sleep until much, much too late, and he was paying for it in the morning. It had taken him three cups of coffee and a Red Bull to even feel human, and then, even with all of that, he couldn't keep his mind on the job. He was glad that most of Saturday's shift was usually spent finishing up the loose ends in the previous week's work, and didn't involve much thinking.

Jou checked his watch (for about the eight-millionth time that day) as he finished packing away the welding set. 1:37pm. Something in Jou's chest leaped. The welding had taken him the better part of an hour, and even he wasn't distracted enough to keep checking the time while handling tools that shoot flames capable of melting steel.

_This is bad._ Jou sighed, giving himself a mental smack. He was acting like... like _Anzu_ for heaven's sake! Pining and blushing and practically _giggling_ and if there was a more ironic place for that sort of behavior than eight stories above the ground straddling a steel girder, Jou couldn't think of it. But he really couldn't help it. It was _Kaiba_, damnit, and there had always been something about Kaiba that had gotten under his skin and wouldn't let him be. Especially now, with the brunet getting under his skin in a whole new way that maybe wasn't so new, really, but was certainly a lot easier to ignore back in high school when he had Honda around to remind him of how much he hated Kaiba and when Kaiba himself had acted like a complete dick.

Now... Honda wasn't there to be the angel on his shoulder and Kaiba was acting like a semi-normal human being and Jou was terrified that he was being as obvious about this as Anzu had always been with her crush on Yami (and maybe Yugi as well, and hadn't _that_ been a messed up little love triangle? Jou's eyes rolled reflexively).

The sun beat down on the steel structure, heating it as efficiently as if it had been stuck in a blacksmith's forge. Jou could feel the heat radiating, burning him even through the thick denim of his work jeans. He was sweating heavily, and he stripped off the long-sleeved shirt he had needed to wear while working with the welder. It was the sort of heat that lobotomized the brain and boiled the blood at the same time -- a possibly lethal combination in Jou's case. He took a deep breath and focused on getting his head straight before he met with the Kaibas. He didn't think he could bear it if he messed this opportunity up because a little heat and excitement had gone to his head.

1:52. Jou grabbed the welding kit and his sweat-soaked shirt and began his descent from the naked girders to the ground below.

000ooo000ooo000

By the time the afternoon rolled around, Seto was growing desperate for anything that would hold his attention.

No, that wasn't right.

He was desperate for something _other_ than the inane thoughts running through his head that would hold his attention. He cursed himself for getting so much done the previous day. He knew it was simply in his nature and that he would probably do the same thing if he had to do it over again, but he could still complain about it. Not out loud, of course. To himself. Yes.

He blamed the weather. Heat did things to a person's brain, made them think and say and do things that they otherwise would never do. That had to be the explanation for what Seto was going through. There were studies -- scientific ones, even. He was sure there were. Somewhere. It was all the heat's fault.

The effects of Seto's cold shower that morning had lasted approximately three hours. It was enough time to get dressed for work, drop Mokuba off at school, and deal with the half-dozen minor problems that someone had labeled 'crises' in his absence (the most 'critical' of which involved the improper stocking of the vending machine in the third floor lounge). Once those tasks were taken care of, the rest of the shortest workday of the week loomed before him, stretching to infinity before screeching to an abrupt halt at 2pm (beyond which he didn't care to think about).

This whole situation with Jounouchi was... unsettling. On the one hand, part of Seto was nearly jumping up and down with joy (in a very subdued and non-childish way, of course). On the other hand, a small but loud part of him was screaming, 'What the f are you _thinking?_ This is the _make inu_! The loudmouthed idiot! Did we not have a discussion about this before?'

And in fact, Seto had discussed this with himself before. It had taken approximately two seconds, the time he had first met Jounouchi Katsuya. His first reaction had been a sense impression more than it had been a thought -- the boy was disarmingly cute. His second reaction had been far more visceral and deep; it welled up from the part of Seto that allowed him to face down businessmen three times his age and show no fear, that allowed him to survive as long as he had under the thumb of Kaiba Gozaburo, that allowed him to be harsh and unyielding without losing what was left of his soul:

_NO._

And that had been it. Seto had been unwilling to argue with that voice, because to chip away at that defense from the inside was unthinkable. It was bad enough that he had been under attack from outside forces -- he wasn't about to start attacking the only support he had.

But that was then. Sometime in between then and now, Seto realized, that defense had become less important -- which was a good thing, because with the combined forces of Mokuba and Yugi stripping away big chunks of the wall for the last several years, it probably wouldn't have lasted much longer anyway. He was slowly coming to the conclusion that perhaps he didn't really need it anymore. Oh, certainly it couldn't be discarded -- businessmen had come to expect the icy, reserved CEO of Kaiba Corp when they came to meetings and it was easy enough to oblige them. It was in the company's best interests, too, and Seto cared quite deeply about his company. He would keep some sections of the wall, but others... the piece that had declared with such _finality_, "no"... That piece was keeping eerily silent -- leaving the situation open for debate -- and Seto was very, very confused indeed.

And on top of all the other issues -- the professed hatred, the differing worldviews and ideals, polar opposite personalities -- there was still one _big_ issue that Seto knew needed to confront:

The hair and eyes and skin and sweat that had plagued his thoughts all day belonged to one Jounouchi Katsuya -- who was very much _male_.

_Gay._

The word seemed to stare Seto in the face, in boldface with little flashing lights around it, just in case he managed to miss its presence. Gay. Homosexual, to be precise about it. Homo. Fag. Queer. Other, more insulting names that Seto didn't think he could stomach applying to himself. He fought to keep his gag reflex under control.

It wasn't as though he was homophobic. He was sure he wasn't. Seto himself had insisted that Kaiba Corp provide full partner benefits to same-sex couples -- including health coverage, family and medical leave... It was still touted as one of the best corporate benefit packages in the country (something that was pointed out quite often by Seto's highly paid and highly successful public relations department). But it was one thing to allow Aoyama-san from marketing to take a week off when his partner had surgery, and quite another for Seto to imagine himself ever doing the same.

Seto didn't know what to do with the colliding forces inside him. The thought of doing... things... with another male seemed odd to him, but not particularly off-putting. Especially when he added those visions of honey-eyes and golden skin to the mixture. Seto squirmed in his chair and let out a little noise (which was definitely _nothing_ like a whimper), glad the door to his office was firmly shut and that he had very thick, very opaque walls.

Okay, that answered at least one question, but Seto still didn't know what to make of himself. To be honest, he would have to admit that he had never thought of any _girls_ in any sort of sexual way. But to be _completely_ honest, he had never particularly thought of _anyone_ in any sexual way, so that didn't help him at all. It had simply been unimportant to him before; what _was_ important was holding on to his company and keeping Mokuba safe and in his care. Things like hormones would just have to wait patiently in line.

It seemed that they were suddenly sick of waiting patiently.

Seto could deal with all of this. He knew he could. Just not in the scant few hours he had left before he and Mokuba met up with Jounouchi again. Jounouchi... Therein lay another problem.

Jounouchi was straight.

He _had_ to be. Seto could see no other way about it. He had been drooling over that girl... Kujaku something. Gay men, as far as Seto understood, did not spend their time drooling over busty blonde women. Drooling over blond _men_, on the other hand...

Seto groaned as he found himself once again back at the source of the problem. He flushed, realizing that he was already half-hard even before his brain began its next assault on itself, making the situation even worse.

With a surreptitious glance toward the door (securely locked), Seto gave in. Both belt and zipper were rapidly dealt with and Seto shivered slightly as the chilled air hit sensitive skin only to be quickly replaced with a warm palm and delicious friction; when Seto closed his eyes it wasn't his hand, it was _his_ hand and he could imagine the slight calluses and the lightly bronzed skin and then he was simply too far gone to imagine anything at all.

It took a moment for his vision to clear, but when it did he looked down in horrified fascination. Bronzed skin and honey-eyes and _Katsuya_ -- the name practically sang in his head -- and _gayfaghomoqueer_ and the milky, sticky fluid drying on his hand...

Kaiba Seto grabbed wildly for the trash can beside his desk and promptly threw up.

000ooo000ooo000

It was lucky for Jou that Mokuba had been the one to insist upon having their little outing, or Seto probably would not have shown up. By the time Mokuba had barged into his office to drag him off to the cafe, he was sorely tempted to hide under his desk and not come out for several weeks (at least).

For a moment, he considered telling Mokuba that their plans would have to be cancelled, but the boy looked so _happy_ that Seto couldn't bring himself to do it. With only barely disguised trepidation, he followed Mokuba out of the building and onto the sun-soaked street outside. Never before had the two block walk seemed so much like a death march...

Thankfully (for Seto -- Mokuba had sighed in disappointment), Jou hadn't arrived yet, so the brothers seated themselves at the same table Seto had been using before. Jounouchi's waiter friend had them settled with two giant lemonades (and a sinfully large chocolate chip cookie for Mokuba) in a scant moment; then the waiting began.

The summer air was a welcome subduing force for Seto, who was beginning to be worried about the intensity of the strange feelings that had invaded his mind. The heat, which seemed to be making even Mokuba wilt slightly, pressed in on him from all sides -- was it possible that this was all that was keeping him from exploding? It seemed so, right then. He could feel the pressure building inside him, and he hoped he could keep it contained long enough to get through this day and take it home to deal with properly. What, exactly, constituted "properly" was something he would worry about later. Until then, he would curse the heat and thank the heat and try not to imagine other things involving heat.

_Something is wrong with me._ Seto swallowed a noise, somewhere between a moan of pain and a groan of frustration. It wouldn't do to let Mokuba see how chaotic his inner thoughts were at the moment. _Someone_, he was determined, would have fun today.

000ooo000ooo000

Mokuba was not a fool.

He knew he could be a little naive at times, but that didn't mean he didn't know how messed-up his brother felt. It had been obvious enough from the vomit (which he had pointedly ignored) in Seto's wastebasket. Seto _never_ threw up, even when he was sick. This was serious, and Seto was trying to run away from it. Mokuba could tell. He was Seto's brother. It was his job to know things like that.

But Mokuba wasn't really worried.

He had seen that there was something underlying the animosity between his brother and Jounouchi. Even if no-one else had noticed, that was okay. No-one _knew_ Seto like Mokuba did, not even Seto himself. He was much too busy knowing everything else that he never got a chance to really know himself. That was left up to Mokuba, and Mokuba knew a lot.

He had seen just how much Seto needed Jou around. The blond kept him grounded, kept him from going insane when his work threatened to overwhelm him and he was surrounded only by obsequious lackeys, nosy reporters and opponents plotting his downfall. Seto needed someone to keep him from becoming totally inhuman. Someone who was willing to mock him to his face, call him "rich boy" and "moneybags", throw a punch and maybe accept one in return. Someone, in short, exactly like Jounouchi.

Mokuba saw it, that _something_, every time Seto griped and grumbled about the blond. Mokuba saw the jealousy in Seto's (stoic to anyone else) features when Jou was laughing and having fun Yugi and the others. Mokuba saw the _something_ in Jou's looks, too. The way he would look at Seto when he was sure Seto wasn't looking. The flustered look he got sometimes when Seto would talk to him without being entirely insulting. The way he had looked at Seto the night before. The way Seto had looked back.

Seto needed. Seto _wanted_. Seto just didn't seem to understand that he could _have_.

Mokuba was a brat sometimes (hell, he'd even admit it himself, on occasion), but even he knew that the best way to handle this was _not_ to place copies of "Chicken Soup for the Lover's Soul" and "The Joy of Gay Sex" under Seto's pillow and hope for the best. His brother was far too confused for that to work, and while the joke would be amusing for a little while, Mokuba really did want what was best for him (even though he hated having to be the adult).

The first step was to keep Seto from running; at least long enough to let him realize how much he really didn't _want_ to run. And then... _then_ perhaps he could leave the books and do some running of his own.

000ooo000ooo000

Jou arrived at a run, panting and sort of _dripping_ and shiny, with pieces of his hair plastered to his face and neck. He was utterly unkempt and probably smelled awful, and the part of Seto that had scruples about that sort of thing was screaming in protest. Unfortunately, the whole effect was ruined by the joyful grin that appeared on the youth's face when he spotted them. Seto's inner voice cursed.

It cursed even louder when Jou finally reached them and Seto realized that, A) the dripping and shiny was water, not sweat, and B) Jou _did_ smell, but not of something foul. Rather, he smelled like flame and metal (Seto couldn't help but wonder if Jou's attraction to his job didn't come from the same place in his soul as his attraction to his Red-Eyes).

_Shit._

He wondered how much force it would take to knock himself out by slamming his head on the table. Or perhaps the wall would be more efficient...

"Sorry. I'm. late!" Jou panted, sagging down into the last empty chair at the table.

"That's okay!" Mokuba replied happily. "You're not really late anyway. It's only like, ten after or something, right Seto?" Mokuba had abandoned his watch that day in favor of a matched set of Blue-Eyes White Dragon wristbands that Seto had given him for his birthday, so he stretched his neck at a rather uncomfortable angle to peer at Seto's.

"Right." Seto murmured, seeming distracted. Jou tried to follow his line of sight (which was not on either him or Mokuba), but all he could figure out was that Seto was staring at the brick wall of the cafe with great intensity. He wondered what was so interesting about it, but then, who knew what Kaiba Seto found interesting that might completely miss his attention?

Jou caught himself feeling stupid and abruptly stopped himself. After high school, he had determined that he wouldn't allow himself to think that way anymore, and so far he had done a good job of it. There was just something about being around Kaiba, though, that made him so aware of how inferior he was and, strangely, made him want to prove that he wasn't. He would have just tossed it under the umbrella of "the crush", but it came from a different place inside him, and he didn't quite know what to do about it yet. He hoped that if he spent more time in the other teen's company, such feelings would fade. And if that didn't work, he would just deal with it. The 'just deal with it' method had worked for Jou so far, and he wasn't about to give up on something so tried-and-true.

"So," Jou started once he had his breath back, "What are we doing today, anyway?"

Originally, the question had been aimed at the elder Kaiba, but Seto still seemed inordinately interested in the wall so Mokuba wound up fielding it.

"We're going to the movies!" His whole face lit up brightly at this pronouncement. "There's a double feature at the theater downtown every Saturday!" His face fell, just a little. "We haven't been to it in a long time, though. 'Nii-san's been really busy with work and stuff."

_That_ was enough to draw Seto's attention away from the bricks. Elegant fingers mussed Mokuba's hair lightly.

"I'm sorry." He said, looking genuinely apologetic. It was weird, and Jou wondered why such a thing didn't seem to _fit_ Kaiba very well. But then, that would be just like Kaiba -- the only person in the world who really _couldn't_ apologize well. Jou's lips curled up at the corners, just a little, at the appropriateness.

"It's okay!" Mokuba was reassuring his brother. "I know it's really important and the company needs you." He was old enough to understand and be pragmatic about things like that, after all. The success of Kaiba Corp was more important than the double feature matinee. It didn't make him _happy_ about it, but he understood, and he wasn't going to add to the pressure on Seto any more than he had to.

"When's it start?" Jou had stolen Kaiba's lemonade, but Kaiba hadn't seemed to notice yet.

"Two-thirty." Seto responded automatically, the number only one of dozens (perhaps hundreds, he had never bothered to count) that he knew by heart -- bank accounts, production costs, balance sheet equations, birthdays, the Saturday matinee. The list was long and diverse.

"We should get going! We won't get seats if we get there too late!" Mokuba drained the last of his drink with a loud slurp and jumped up from his chair. He stopped abruptly. "That is okay with you, Jou, isn't it? Going to the movies?" He looked so worried, Jou was almost tempted to laugh.

"Of course it's okay, kiddo." Jou paused, thinking deeply. "Wait..."

Mokuba looked almost crushed.

"What?" He asked sadly, obviously expecting the worst, and Seto wondered if he would be forced to kick Jou's ass for this because _no one_ made Mokuba look like that. No one.

"You're not dragging me to _The Sparkle Rangers Movie_, are you?" Jou gave Mokuba a glare of deep suspicion, but he couldn't keep himself from grinning and entirely ruining the effect.

"Jou!" Mokuba cried, shoving the older boy as hard as he could. Jou toppled off his chair, landing in a laughing sprawl on the pavement beneath. "I hate you!" the younger Kaiba pouted, sticking his tongue out at Jou, who returned the gesture.

Seto couldn't keep from smiling (he was glad he didn't have to beat the crap out of the blond), and he wondered idly why all the strangeness he had been feeling all day seemed so much less strange when Jou was actually _there_, horsing around with Mokuba and generally _belonging_ with them. Somehow, maybe, it would all turn out fine. And he wouldn't even have to knock himself out.

The wall was spared.

000ooo000ooo000

The theater was packed, just as Mokuba had predicted. Whether it was because the event itself was just that popular or because the theater had a very efficient air conditioning system, Jou couldn't tell. Either way, there were very few seats available and for a moment it looked like they wouldn't find three together. Luckily, Mokuba was quite good at that sort of thing and managed to find a few empty seats in the back corner of the room. He quickly claimed the inside-most seat, as it was (marginally) closer to the center of the theater, leaving the two end seats for his brother and Jou (which might also have had something to do with Mokuba's seat selection). They had arrived just barely in time for the beginning of the first movie -- an older Kurosawa film -- so there was no real time to debate who got which seat. Seto wound up sitting in the middle, with Jou on the end.

Jou actually hadn't seen the movie before, despite its "classic" status, and was quickly engrossed. Mokuba was in a similar state, but he tended to get like that with samurai movies, Seto had found. Woe betide the one who interrupted the younger Kaiba if "The Seven Samurai" was on TV, even if that one was his older brother.

Seto, who had already seen this particular film several times, was using the time to continue thinking through the feelings that were coursing through him, most of which were still unfamiliar. At least he didn't feel like throwing up again. Still, the whole thing bore careful consideration, more than most problems of its sort. It wasn't as though he was some normal person who could dabble around until they figured their sexuality out the normal way (Seto had never, _ever_ wanted to be _normal_, but right then it was becoming more and more appealing). Instead, he was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation. His personal life, if anything of interest happened in it, was fair game for every tabloid in the country. He simply could not afford to be wrong about something as monumental as whether he liked women... or men.

And there was the rub: he didn't like women, but he didn't like _men_ either. He liked, as far as he could tell, _man_. Specifically, the one sitting in the poorly upholstered theater seat next to him, wrapped up in the problems of the characters on the screen and (apparently) unconcerned by any problems of his own. Seto was mildly jealous.

000ooo000ooo000

The first movie ended with Mokuba and Jou smiling for the victorious main character and Seto no closer to answers than he had been at the beginning.

"We need popcorn!" Mokuba declared, looking up at Seto expectantly. He turned over the money without complaint. Normally, they would have had popcorn for the first movie as well, but they had arrived too late to wait in line and still find seats. Mokuba disappeared quickly, jumping over the back of the seat before Seto could tell him not to.

"That was really good!" Jou enthused, looking at Seto for his opinion. He nodded.

"Kurosawa films usually are." He deadpanned, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"I never really watched too many movies." Jou seemed to be just thinking aloud, but Seto paid attention anyway. You never knew. "Because, you know, it gets expensive, once you start buying snacks and drinks and everything. Plus most of it wasn't really that interesting. I mean, most of it's just a bunch of guys beating each other up. If I wanted to see that, I coulda just gone to the park after midnight, you know?" He laughed a little, but it was sort of strained, and Seto could tell that he really didn't think it was funny at all.

"Movies should be entertaining." He said quietly, pausing as Jou looked at him intently. "Their purpose is to take us away from the bad things in our own lives for a while and show us other people who overcome their difficulties. Why do you think there's always a happy ending? The filmmakers are trying to restore our hope that we can have happy endings, too."

"Wow." Jou was staring at him with glowing admiration. "That was really deep, Kaiba."

"Or maybe your thinking is just very shallow, puppy." Seto teased gently, a smile playing briefly across his lips as he fought down a blush.

"Hey!" Jou mock-pouted, crossing his arms across his chest and settling back in his seat with an exaggerated huff of annoyance.

"I got it!" Mokuba hopped the seat again and plopped a large bucket of salted, buttered popcorn down in Seto's lap. "You have to hold it, 'cause you're in the middle." He declared matter-of-factly as the house lights dimmed to signal the start of the second half of the double-feature.

000ooo000ooo000

The second movie had managed to hold even Seto's attention -- it may have been American (Seto wasn't fond of American films, mostly because they attempted to compensate for lack of plot by adding random explosions), but the concept of people stuck inside a computer program was one that hit close to home. The three were quiet as the lights went up, even as the crowd around them began talking excitedly about the amazing special effects. Finally, Mokuba saved them yet again.

"Dinner?" He asked, swiping the last few kernels of popcorn out of the bucket and downing them quickly.

"How is it possible that you eat more than me but you're still that short?" Jou questioned back, earning him a glare from Mokuba (who was growing increasingly sensitive about his height as he got older).

"We can get dinner, yes." Seto cut the two of them off before they could start a childish and (probably) loud argument in a crowded theater. Exactly the sort of publicity Kaiba Corp needed, really. "Will you be joining us?"

Jou blinked, then glanced down at his slightly scorched work jeans and worn shirt. Then he turned his attention to Kaiba's near-pristine white button-down and tan slacks.

"Er..."

"You're fine." Seto cut him off before he could even begin. "We're only going to Burger World."

And Jou was so shocked that there was nothing he could do but agree.

000ooo000ooo000

_The Kaibas eat at Burger World._

The thought was still being processed, even as Jou chewed on his burger. He would never have expected Kaiba to do something so... mundane. Hell, _he_ ate at Burger World, and Jou figured that alone would have put it on Kaiba's list of places to buy and demolish. Apparently not. Apparently, Burger World was on Kaiba's nice list -- at least on Saturdays, after the matinee.

"I love this place!" Mokuba smiled happily as he bit into his own grease-on-a-bun.

That explained a lot.

Jou really wished he had a camera, just because no one would ever believe this in a million years. He was at Burger World with the Kaibas. Many strange (okay, _really_ strange) things had happened in Jou's life over the previous few years, but he hadn't really ever been shocked by them like this. His best friend shared a body (though only sometimes, nowadays) with an Egyptian Pharaoh, but here he was, bowled over by Kaiba's eating habits.

Of course, Kaiba's eating habits were weird enough on their own. Jou found himself watching in rapt fascination as Kaiba sliced his burger into pieces and started eating it with a knife and fork. It took him a moment to notice when Kaiba _stopped_ eating and looked back at him intently.

"What, if I may ask, is so interesting about my food?" Seto arched an eyebrow. Jou _hated_ it when he did that, really he did.

"Why d'you eat it that way?" He found himself blurting out, before realizing that it was probably really, _really_ rude to ask like that. Oh, well. No going back now.

Seto sighed. "It's unseemly to eat a meal with your hands." He shot a glance at Mokuba, who just shrugged and took a big bite out of his burger.

"But you ate popcorn." Jou sounded confused.

"Popcorn is meant to be eaten by hand." Seto returned, taking another forkful of meat, bun and various toppings.

"So are burgers!" Jou insisted, picking his own up as if it proved his point.

"So you say. I prefer to eat like a civilized human being." He took a sip of his cola and went back to slicing the burger into nicely sized chunks.

"The gods of Burger World will strike you down." Jou warned with his best Yami-voice.

"Perhaps." Seto smirked and quite purposefully popped another forkful into his mouth.

Mokuba grinned into his shake.

000ooo000ooo000

"So... I guess I'll see you around?" Jou asked, nervous but doing his best to cover it up.

Seto nodded. "I suppose so. It's not as if my whereabouts are unknown, Jounouchi-kun."

Jou fought down the grin that was threatening, instead tilting his head slightly, silently asking if what he had heard meant what he thought it meant. Seto inclined his head in return, and Jou let the grin out.

"Okay! I'll see you, then!" He waved at Mokuba as Seto climbed back into the car and watched until the taillights disappeared around the corner.

Jounouchi Katsuya really loved his life.

000ooo000ooo000

tbc...

A Note: I probably won't update this rapidly in the future. I want this to be good, and good takes time. But please stick with me! #bows#


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